Armstrong to Oprah: Yes, I was a bully to teammates

- Armstrong confesses to doping during all 7 Tour wins - Cycling star admits he was 'a bully' to teammates - Denies that he ever ordered other cyclists to dope - Says he was motivated by 'ruthless desire to win' - Was adamant that he hasn't doped since 2005 - Armstrong did not consider himself a "cheat"

That's it for the first part. The second part and some more ads can be seen tomorrow. There will be stuff about his sponsors, his mother and Livestrong.

The trailer for the second half of the interview showed him saying his mother "is a wreck."

Summary

Armstrong showed almost no emotion during the interview. He even laughed a few times. This isn't going to win him friends. But he hasn't named anyone explicitly yet. Oprah's questions were direct and to the point. But surely we expected a few tears and a break down.

He would have called his family, mother, sponsors and the Lance Armstrong Foundation (Livestrong).

"I wish I could do that, but I can't," he added.

0858 IST: I don't fault George

Armstrong: My fate was sealed by [George]. If George didn't say it then people would say 'I'm sticking with Lance'. George is the most credible voice in all of this. We're still great friends. We still talk once a week. I don't fault George. George knows this story better than anybody."

George Hincapie was by Armstrong's side for all of his seven Tour de France victories.

So many ads

Another break. This is a big payday for OWN. Take out the ads and they could have done this in one day. And the ad breaks are so long.

0846 IST: Move on to USADA now

Armstrong: I was treated differently (by USADA). I wasn't approached at the same time as the other riders. They were brought in and asked about the culture of cycling. They gathered all the subpoenas.

Oprah: Will you co-operate with Usada?

Armstrong: I love cycling... I really do... and I say that knowing that people see me as someone who disrespected the sport, the colour yellow.. the jersey. If we can, and I stand on no moral platform here. If there was truth and reconciliation commission, and I can't call for that, if they have it and I'm invited I'll be first man through the door.

Oprah: You abused your power?

Armstrong: (without any hesitation) Yeah.

Coming next: Did Lance Armstrong shoot a man in Reno, just to watch him die?

Now, the conversation seems to be moving towards Landis. The former Tour de France winner was stripped of his title for using banned substances. Landis then admitted to doping and alleged that Armstrong doped.

"My comeback didn't sit well with Floyd. I was in a hotel room (upon hearing Landis would reveal details of Armstrong's doping). Floyd was sending text messages about his interview. I finally said 'do what you have to do.' He went to the Wall Street Journal with the story. Up to that point I supported him." says Lance Armstrong.

"We wouldn't be sitting hear if I didn't come back."

Lance Armstrong continues to play a character named "Lance Armstrong" in this interview.

"There are people in this story and we've all made mistakes there are people in this story who are not monsters, they are not monsters. I viewed Michele Ferrari as a good man, and a smart man, and I still do," says Armstrong.

If you haven't heard of Ferrari before: On 10 July 2012, the USADA issued Ferrari a lifetime sports ban for numerous anti-doping violations including possession, trafficking, administration and assisting doping. But he's a good man, says Armstrong.

0807 IST: Strong beginning but Armstrong has his guard up now

It started off well. Oprah's questions were good and to the point. But now Armstrong is giving nothing away. Not a good way to come clean. But probably the best way to not get sued.

0806 IST: So how common was doping?

Armstrong: Doping was "like saying we have to have air in our tyres, we have to have water in our bottles."

0759 IST: Trying hard to look genuine?

Armstrong seems remorseful, but of course, it looks like he is putting on such an act.

"This is too late. Too late for probably most people.... I view this as one big lie that I repeated," he says.

My favorite Lance line so far is to the question, "How did it all work?" Answer: "Whoa, we need a long time..."

"It was win at all costs," says Lance. "When I was diagnosed (with cancer) I would do anything to survive. I took that attitude - win at all costs - to cycling. That's bad. I was taking drugs before that but I wasn't a bully."

Armstrong says there are "five guys" who were riding clean during his cycling days. They are "heroes." Lance is pretty clearly not a hero.

Please decide. Were you a bully or not?

Lance Armstrong coming across as very arrogant & even laughing at some Qs. Can't see this interview will get him any sympathy... #oprah

'I'm not the most believable guy in the world right now,' says Armstrong.

0751 IST: And an ad break...

And in the middle of all this... an ad break. Somethings don't change.

0748 IST: Listen to the lawyer

Oprah asks a pointed question about whether Tyler Hamilton's claim that he and Armstrong injected each other at a hotel and dumped syringes into Coke cans is true. Armstrong laughed, cleared his throat and dodged the question. The lawyers must have briefed him well.

0747 IST: Not naming the others

Armstrong denies the USADA statement that it was the "most sophisticated doping program sport has ever seen", making reference to former East Germany as being worse.

0746 IST: Blaming cancer

Armstrong blames his cancer for his illegal use of testosterone. He insinuates that he took it because he was running low on the natural hormone.

0745 IST: You lied... so why now?

Oprah: You brazenly denied everything so why now?

Armstrong:That's the best question. I don't know I have a great answer. This is too late, probably for most people and that's my fault. I view this situation as one big lie that I repeated a lot of times. It's not as if I said no and moved off it. While I've lived through this process, I know the truth. The truth isn't what I said and now its gone.

0743 IST: Armstrong: The doping culture...

"To say that the (doping) programme was bigger than the East German programme of 1970s and 1980s," says Armstrong.

"It's hard to talk about the culture. I don't want to accuse anyone else. I'm here to acknowledge my mistakes. The culture was what it was. I can't say (everybody was doping)."

0741 IST: Win without doping?

Oprah: Was it possible to win without doping?

Armstrong: Not in that generation. I didn't invent the culture, but I didn't try to stop the culture.

0730 IST: The first questions

Q. Did you ever take banned substances to enhance cycling performance?

A. Yes

Q. Was one of those substances EPO?

A. Yes.

Q. Did you use any other banned substances?

A. Yes

Can Armstrong come clean? Will he get our forgiveness? Is he doing this just for himself? Or will he lie again?